Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1887-05-18
MANUFACTURE OF PAPER MAcHE.
"Chewed Paper" and the Manifold Uses
to Which 1t Is Put.


The manufacture of papier mache otter
= ally ''chewed paper') forms an important
branch of the paper industry. Who does
not remember those projectiles of our
school days which we called "spit balls"
and which thrown at wall or ceiling adj
hered thereto with tenacity? What was
most striking about these balls was their
extraordinary hardness after they became
thoroughly dry, this being the more
marked in proportion as the chewing had
been more perfect.
1t was through observing such hardness
that the idea occurred to some one to EN-
ploy paper pulp in the manufacture OF
various objects. Yet the substance en-
ployed in the industry is not mashed
paper in the absolute sense of the word,
but is soft paper converted into card
board by mechanical processes.
In the manufacture of papier mache the
raw material used is blush gray, I'M
sized, strong, fine grained paper The
sheets may be compared (whiteness, which
is of no account, being eXcepted) to An,
nonay photographic paper. Cotton forms
the basis of it.
These sheets are pasted together by
means of layer of dextrine or starch,
applied with steel spatula. When the
desired thickness has been obtained the
mass is put into a hydraulic press that
operates i'll highly heated drying room.
Under the immense pressure of this APP
paratus there forms a solid block, which
is as hard as lockwood or ebony, and
which is perfectly plain or has the form
of the mold in which the raw material, so
ductile when moist and so hard when dry,
was compressed. 1t can be nodded into
any shape whatever, that of table legs,
chair arms, rose work, holdings, etc.
This sort of wood, without pores, sap,
fibers and knots, is capable of being
worked with the saw, the gouge, the rasp
and the lathe. 1t can be polished, if need
be, although this operation is reserved for
the thick black varnish that is applied to
it in several coats, with an intervening
stay of a night in very hot, air heated
drying room. When it comes from the
latter the VarniSh is very hard, and is
free from blisters and cracks. 1t is pos
sible that many of the objects that are Of
fered to us as being finished with Japan
or Chinese lacquer are merely impreg
mated and covered with a mixture of gum
cOpal bitumen tar, resin and other hydro
cafbonS impregnated with lampblack and
color i'll certain proportions.
When this operation has been too greatly
prolonged the varnish scales off and
cracks. and when it has not been carried
to q sufficient extent the surface remains
sticky. 1t is not necessary, then, to ex-
tend q certain temperature, always higher
than 100 degs. This nodded and pressed
paper can be easily turned in the lathe
and made into light and indestructible
balls and beads or to be fashioned into
inkstands, Baskets and cylinders.
1t is from this substance that are man.
ufactured all those bracelets of large
black beads studded with Scotch imitation
diamonds, all those necklaces, pins,
clasps and trinkets of all sorts that are
taken for pitch coal or some precious
wood. Again. those handsome bracelets,
composed of semi-lucid and opaline
globules that seem to have been cut out of
stone formed of concentric layers, like
certain precious stones, are merely of
papier mache, cemented with white var
nish and coated with the same. So, too,
those beautiful nacreous, painted and
gilded trays, round tables and caskets
that are known as Japanese work are
merely papier mache. The Japanese
know but one kind Of gliding, while we
have two-the dead and the brilliant We
have, likewise, a Gtuie liquid nacre taken
from the scales of the whitebait, that
well initiates the white currant and GER
tain transparent berries. The nacre is
solidly inlaid by means of the hydraulic
press, and finally the surface is finished
with pumice stone to make it perfectly
even, and covered with a colorless varnish
of the first quality.-Bulletin DIES Fabri-
comts de Papier.